Jericho's Confrontation
by JazzyFan
Summary: Joseph Wilson hasn't always been 'Jericho'. He once had a family, particularly a father. That was all in the past, until Jericho came to Jump City and met Slade.


**A/N: Okay, I know that I'm working on 'Breaking', but this was screaming to be written. It's a one shot of Jericho and Slade. This was inspired by Seraephina's 'Song'. Thanks, Seraephina! It's not sappy (well, maybe the ending is a little), actually, maybe a little angst. It's in Jericho's POV. Enjoy! XD**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything but the plot.**

It was his first time at Titan's Tower. Sure, he was an honorary member, but that's nothing compared to actually seeing what being a Titan means.

Jericho sat on the couch, slowly strumming his guitar as Raven meditated. It was silent until Beast Boy and Cyborg decided to play Mega Monkeys 3. But, somehow, the noise didn't irritate him like it did Raven. Robin was doing something in the evidence room at the time.

"BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!"

As everyone quickly stopped what they were doing, Robin came into the main room to join the others.

Hesitantly, Robin walked up to the computer, as if scared to see who it was.

The Boy Wonder sighed.

"It's Slade."

Jericho blinked.

"_Who's Slade?" _He signed to Raven. Only Robin and Raven could understand sign language.

"You don't want to know." The goth answered in a monotone voice.

**WAREHOUSE DOCKS**

**PIER 41**

As the Titans rushed in, Jericho lingered. Slade. He could swear that he had heard the name before…

As the mute walked through the doors, his worst nightmare came true.

He had heard of Slade before. It was Deathstroke the Terminator.

…..It was _his father_.

Joseph gulped. Why did his past always have to interfere with his life??

Slade chuckled.

"So, it is true. I'm surprised at you, _Joseph_, I would have thought that you would had at least dropped by to say 'hello'."

The blond licked his lips, avoiding eye contact with the assassin.

"_I…I didn't know that you were in Jump…" _he signed.

Slade sighed. "Sure you didn't."

With a rush of anger, Joseph looked up at his father with anger in his eyes.

"_Don't you dare try to make me feel guilty! All of it was always your fault! YOU split up the family, YOU made Rose decide to go to the academy, YOU made Grant into the Ravager, YOU made me mute!!!"_

There was a pause.

"Now, now, Joseph. This isn't the right place for this."

"_Well, why not?! I'm tired of you avoiding me! You left me on the mountain because you wanted mom to suffer!"_

"That's enough. You know that that's a lie, Joseph. I left you there so that you could prosper, away from everyone's problems. And I never wanted your mother to suffer. That was her choice."

Jericho grinded his teeth.

"I guess that isolating you didn't do me much, good, now did it? All you did was pent up your emotions."

"_What was I supposed to do? All I could think of, day after day, was the past. It didn't help me, it made it worse. And you know what? I thought, 'Hey, maybe he cares. Maybe he'll realize his mistake and come back for me and make everything better again.' But you didn't. You didn't!"_

"…….And I apologize for that. I have to go, but you know when and where you can find me tonight to continue this conversation. See you soon. Be there."

Slade was gone in a puff of smoke.

Slowly, as everyone's vision returned, Jericho ran.

"Jericho!"

**TITANS TOWER**

He could hear them. He picked up his hearing from….him, that keen hearing ability. One thing that he didn't despise from him.

"What was that all about, man?"

Robin sighed. "I really have no idea. But, obviously, Slade and Jericho seem to know each other. After all, he did call Jericho 'Joseph'. As much as I hate to admit it, it almost sounded like they were….related."

"I think that they are related. I sensed something from both of them. It felt like a broken relationship between father and son. Then came the memories. I saw a little boy running into a man's arms, as a girl and another boy stood by a woman."

"That would at least sound right. I mean, the kid did sign stuff about a Rose, a Grant, and his mother."

"And family, too."

"One word man, 'wow'. I didn't think that Slade was the family type."

"I…When I was his apprentice, I could sense a strange feeling from him all those weeks. Perhaps it was the memory??"

"Maybe. Who knows?"

"_I do."_

Robin, Raven, Cyborg, and Beast Boy turned as Jericho walked in.

"_Well, all of you were right. Unfortunately."_

"You mean to tell me that, that Slade is your father?"

"_Yeah. We have, um, 'issues', as you could probably tell from our…conversation…"_

"You mean argument, right, dude?"

"_Yeah. I better go see him tonight. I can't rest until I talk more with him. I want answers!"_

"Are you sure that that's a good idea? I mean, Slade is dangerous and-"

"I know. But I'm his son. Trust me, he wouldn't hurt a hair on my head, intentionally, at least."

Jericho absentmindedly rubbed his throat.

"He caused you to be mute?"

"_Yes. I don't think that he meant to, I mean, he didn't know and…Well, here it goes. You know dad as 'Slade', well, his real alias is 'Deathstroke, Deathstroke the Terminator'. He was doing an assassin job and they took me captive because they wanted the job done right then and there. Well, dad took us to a ball game and had to postpone the…murder. His employers didn't like it. In front of my dad, Rose, my older sister, and Grant, the oldest brother of us three, they cut my throat. Mom couldn't take it. After dad left from the hospital, having to go out on another job, she got so mad, gosh, she was ticked. Later, when she went home to get clothes to stay the night with me at the hospital, dad just so happened to come home. They fought, she found her father's gun, and shot him in the right eye. That's why he only has one."_

"That explains….a lot."

"Dude! What did he say??" Beast Boy asked, flapping his arms impatiently.

"He said that Slade indirectly caused him to be mute and his mother shot his eye out in anger."

"Wow, dude! That's, like, movie material!!"

Everyone laughed, even Jericho, silently.

"I…I gotta go now, to talk. Don't worry, I'll be back by morning."

And, somehow, as Joseph Wilson left, the Titans knew that everything would be all right.

**A/N: So! What do you think? You like it? Tell me! Review, please! Oh, and Merry Christmas and have a Happy New Year, everybody!**

**--Hoping for the gift of reviewing for Christmas,**

**TeentitansLover1**

**J**


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